Selection of Educational Routes by High School and College Graduates: A Positive Psychology Approach

Dmitry V Lubovsky

doi:10.22363/2313-1683-2020-17-4-656-670

Abstract

Utilizing both perspectives from modern positive psychology and common, conventional theories, this article examines how graduates of high schools and colleges choose individual educational routes (IER). The significance of the issue of choosing IERs is discussed; additionally, the current state of research in this area is described. Methodological difficulties were revealed in the study of the choice of IERs by graduates of high schools and colleges and in the practice of psychological and pedagogical support for choice. Major contradictions and unresolved problems were identified in the theory and practice of psychological and pedagogical support for graduates of high schools and colleges in choosing their IERs. The most important data and findings on the choice of IERs made by modern high school and college students are presented, contradictions in the available data are revealed, and the specific features in disabled students’ choosing IERs are described. In addition, an analysis of the main approaches to studies of students’ choice of IERs (sociological, subjective and based on positive psychology) was conducted. Furthermore, the importance of positive psychology for solving existing problems in research and in the practice of psychological and pedagogical support for graduates of high schools and colleges in choosing IERs was described. The article provides a brief overview of recent positive psychology research on the choice of educational routes, and outlines the prospects for its application in solving urgent research and practical problems related to psychological and pedagogical support for students’ choice of IERs.

Highlights

The problem of choosing individual educational routes (IER) by graduates of high schools and colleges invariably remains one of the most pressing problems of modern practical psychology of education
It is no coincidence that in the Federal State Educational Standard of Basic General Education (FSES BGE), the most important personal educational results include “the formation of a responsible attitude towards learning, the readiness and ability of students for selfdevelopment and self-education based on motivation for learning and cognition, conscious choice and building further individual educational trajectory based on orientation in the world of professions and professional preferences, taking into account sustainable cognitive interests” (FSES BGE)
Many studies show that graduates of basic school often choose college education as an easier way to enter universities (Aleksandrov et al, 2015), while the choice of such an education was most influenced by the interest in the profession (45.8%), the desire to receive an education (33.9%), the opinion of parents (26%) and the influence of the media (21.9%)

Summary

Introduction

The problem of choosing individual educational routes (IER) by graduates of high schools and colleges invariably remains one of the most pressing problems of modern practical psychology of education. School and college graduates need not design but assistance in developing internal prerequisites for a self-determined choice of IERs, which is much more difficult in practice This explains, as noted by some authors, the inertia of the approach to psychological and pedagogical support of educational and professional self-determination in the tradition of F. The analysis of research carried out in the mainstream of positive psychology shows that it is precisely this discipline that can become a theoretical and methodological background for working with students to develop the prerequisites for choosing IERs and the basis of psychological support for the educational self-determination of high school and college students

Modern Positive Psychology in Studies on the Choice of Educational Routes

Conclusion

Findings

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